3 Card Poker Strategy

1. 3 Card Poker Strategy Guide
2. 3 Card Poker Strategy
3. 3 Card Poker Strategy Chart
4. 3 Card Poker Strategy Guide

The optimal strategy for 3 Card Poker is remarkably straight forward. In the first instance the player should not play the Pair Plus and should only take the Play bet if they hold a hand of unsuited Queen, 6, 4 or better. So if the player holds Q, 3, 5, the second highest card (5) is lower than 6 and as such the optimal strategy would be to fold. Three Card Poker, is a variety of poker game in which the player and dealer are given three cards and the one with the higher hand is the winner. 3 Card Poker has quickly gone on to become one of the most popular table games at online and land-based casinos as it's easy to play and can pay out Large Prizes.

Three Card Poker, is a variety of poker game in which the player and dealer are given three cards and the one with the higher hand is the winner. 3 Card Poker has quickly gone on to become one of the most popular table games at online and land-based casinos as it's easy to play and can pay out Large Prizes. On this page, you will find out everything that you need to know about this Poker Variant from how to play, the hand rankings, how to win, and where you can play for free or for real money.

• +How to Play 3 Card Poker
  • Placing your Bets
  • 3 Cards are Dealt
  • When to Play or Fold
  • Hands are Compared
  • 3 Card Winning Bonuses
• +Payouts and Odds
  • Ante Bonus
  • Pair Plus
  • Six-Card Bonus
• Hand Rankings
• +How to Win
  • Bankroll Management
  • Lowest House Edge
  • Avoid the side bets
  • Place your Ante Wager on the Pair Plus
  • When to Raise your Ante Bet
  • Never Play Blind
  • Claim your 3-Card Poker Bonus
• +Signing-up for Real Money
  • Register
  • Deposit
  • Claim your Bonus
  • Play
• Play Free Three Card Poker
• Play Free Vs. Real Money
• +Play on Mobile
  • Game App
• Conclusion
• FAQ's ❓

How to Play 3 Card Poker in 5 Easy Steps

In order to become a successful poker player, no matter what variety you are playing, you need to know the rules of poker. Thankfully, the Three Card Poker rules are very easy to learn. However, before we take a look at how to play 3 card poker, we shall briefly explain a bit more about this poker variant. This card game is played using one regular deck of cards and is basically 2 games in 1.

The first game is known as the Pair Plus and here players have the chance to wager of whether they will receive a pair or higher, or not. The second is the ante game and gives players the chance to wager against the dealer to see who has the best hands. Some casinos will give you the option of betting on either of the two games, while other casinos will require you to stick down an ante bet before you go ahead and place a Pair Plus bet. There is another side bet that is known as the 6-card bonus. You can bet on this if you think your 3 cards and the dealer's 3 cards will form a strong poker hand. However, we do not recommend that you do this as you will lose a lot more times than you win.

Below are the 5 easy steps to playing this game.

Placing your Bets

When you first sit down to play poker at a 3-card poker table, you have a couple of decisions that you need to make before the dealer deals the cards. First of all, you have to decide how much money you are going to bet. Once you have done this, the next thing that you need to do is decide what bets you are going to place. Are you going to place just a Pair Plus bet or an ante bet, or are you going to place both? Remember that some casinos will require you to place an ante bet.

3 Cards are Dealt

Once you have decided how much money you are going to wager and what type of bets you are going to place, the dealer will give everyone at the table three cards and they will then give themselves three cards. Play begins to the left of the dealer and continues around the table.

When to Play or Fold

You will be able to look at your three cards and you can decide whether you want to raise or fold. If you want to stay in the round and take a look at the dealer's hand, you must place down another stake that is equal to your ante bet – this is known as a play bet. If you think that your hand is rubbish and you will not win, then you fold and lose the money that you have already staked.

Hands are Compared

After everyone who is playing at the table has made up their mind about whether they are going to raise or fold, the dealer will flip over his three cards. If the dealer has a queen high or better, they qualify to carry on. If the dealer qualifies, then all the remaining hands are compared to theirs and if you beat the dealer's hand then you win some money.

3 Card Winning Bonuses

If the dealer does not qualify because they do not have a queen high or better, then all of the players who are still in play will have their play bet given back to them and will receive even money for the ante wager that they placed.

Three Card Poker Payouts and Odds

So, when it comes to the Ante bet, Pair Plus, and the 6-card bonus what are the payouts and what are the 3 card poker odds of you receiving such a payout? Well, this is what we are going to take a much closer look at below.

Ante Bonus

When you are playing 3 card poker, you can be at the end of a nice bonus payout if you have a certain hand when placing the ante bet. What are the hands that qualify you for such a bonus? Well, that would be a Straight Flush, a Straight, or a 3-of-a-kind. The amount of Bonus Money that you receive will depend on the casino and the table that you are playing at.

Pair Plus

If you have opted for this type of bet, you will win if your three cards are composed of a pair or higher. But what if he beats you in the ante game? Well, this is completely irrelevant. At the end of the day it is like this - if you have a pair or higher you win, if you do not, then you lose. It really is as simple as that.

Six-Card Bonus

If you decide to go for this side bet, then you will have to wait until the dealer reveals his hand to see if you are a winner. You can still win this bet, even if the dealer has beaten you in the ante game. What you need to happen in order for you to win a payout is that your three cards and the dealer's three cards will combine to form a combination anywhere between a 3-of-a-kind and a Royal Flush. Obviously, if your cards form a Royal Flush, you are on for a huge payout. However, as we mentioned briefly above, the chances of this happen are pretty slim, to say the least.

Three Card Poker Hand Rankings

If you have had the privilege of playing the Traditional Variety of Poker, then you will be pretty familiar with poker card hands as well as poker card rankings. However, in a traditional game of poker, you will have 5 cards that make up a hand, whereas with this variety of poker you will obviously only have 3 cards that will make up your hand. Therefore, the hands are obviously going to look at a tiny bit different. However, if you are familiar with traditional poker, you will have no issues, that is for sure.

In the table below we have listed all of the information that you need when it comes to 3 card poker.

How to Win When Playing 3-Card Poker

When you are playing , there are some three card poker tips that you should always keep in mind. If you manage to remember these three card poker secrets, then we guarantee that you will have a much more fun gambling experience. So, without further ado, let us now take a look at some great tips.

Bankroll Management

Whenever you are gambling you should always have a bankroll of money that you can afford to lose. Once you have lost this bankroll, you should stop gambling. Many people lose their bankroll and then try to win it back right away, but this is a foolish thing to do as you will end up losing more money. When you are playing 3 card poker, you should play with 1% of your bankroll each time you play. If you go straight in with 50% of your bankroll and you lose, you have put a lot of pressure on yourself.

Lowest House Edge

When you are playing this variant of poker you are going to find out pretty quickly that the ante bet has the lowest house edge. What exactly do we mean by the house edge? Well, the house edge is the advantage that the casino has over the player. The Pair Plus bet has a higher house edge, so it is probably in your best interest when playing this game to stick to the option with the lowest house edge.

Avoid the side bets

We know that side bets can be really enticing due to how much you can win, but that is exactly what the casino wants you to feel. Side bets are always put in place to make a profit for the casino because they always have a very high house edge. So, when it comes to side bets, play the odd one every now and again but please do not make a habit of it as you might as well just open your wallet up, walk over to the window, and empty it into the breeze.

Place your Ante Wager on the Pair Plus

If you really want to go for the Pair Plus bet, but also want a low house edge, then you should place the same stake on the Pair Plus bet that you did on your ante. However, as we said above, we recommend that you avoid the temptation to place a variety of bets and just place your stake on the bet type with the lowest house edge. Remember that the more bet types that you opt for, the higher your total stake, and the more you will lose if luck has completely deserted you.

When to Raise your Ante Bet

When you have placed an ante bet, then you will have to decide whether to raise or to fold. So, when should you raise? Well, in our opinion, you should only consider raising if you have been given at least a high valued hand such as a queen, four and a six. Obviously, if you have better than this, you should raise. If you have been given a hand such as a six, three, and a two, then you should fold.

Never Play Blind

When you are playing 3 card poker you have the option of playing blind, which means that you will not look at the cards that you have been dealt by the dealer. You obviously stand to win more if luck is on your side, but when you are playing blind the house edge increases to a massive 7.6%. This means that your chances of losing money are much higher than your chances of winning money.

Claim your 3-Card Poker Bonus

When you are playing this game for real, as in for real money, you will be eligible for some great and traditional Welcome Bonuses as well as some less common no deposit ones. On this page of ours you will be able to find the online casinos with the best 3 card poker bonuses around.

4 Easy Steps to Play Three Card Poker for Real Cash

There are 4 easy steps to playing 3 card poker for real money and we have listed them below for your complete convenience.

Register

Take a look at our Top 10 Online Casino list and read our reviews. Once you have found the online casino that you think is perfect for you, complete the registration process. This should take you no longer than 10 minutes.

Deposit

3 Card Poker Strategy Guide

Once you have opened up an account, you will need to deposit some real money into it. If you have chosen one of the casinos that we recommend, we guarantee that this will be a simple procedure.

3 Card Poker Strategy

Claim your Bonus

Make sure that you claim your Welcome Bonus so that you get some extra money in your account. However, remember that these bonuses will come with wagering requirements that will need to be completed before you can start to withdraw.

Play

Find a 3-card poker game that the casino is offering and get playing. We wish you the very best of luck!

Practice Using Free 3 Card Poker Games

If this game is completely new to you, then we highly recommend that you make use of free three card poker before you start playing for money. Why is this? Well, first of all, by playing free poker card games you can get an understanding as to whether that poker variant is your cup of tea without having to risk any of your own dollars. Imagine if you start off using your own money and you find out that you do not really like it, but you have already lost so cash. You will feel like you have wasted some of your money, and rightfully so.

Another reason why you should Play for Free to begin with is that it gives you a chance to familiarize yourself with the game with no real money at stake. Therefore, if you go on to make a novice mistake, such as folding a good hand, it will not cost you anything. You can move to play for real money when you feel that you have got some mastery of the game.

Where can you play for free before playing for real money? Well, you will be glad to hear that you can do so at any of the online casinos that we have listed on this site of ours. Online casino owners are well aware as to how many customers like to practice for free before they start using real money, so the majority will now provide their players with a wide variety of games that they can play for free. The great thing about their free games is that it is free online poker no download, which means you do not need to take up space on the device that you are using.

Playing 3 Card Poker for Free vs Playing for Real Money

In the table below, you can find a comparison between playing 3 card poker for free and playing it for real money.

Can I Play 3 Card Poker on my Mobile Device?

Nowadays, it is not an exaggeration to say that more people gamble using their mobile devices (smartphones or laptops) than they do use a desktop device. Online casino owners are well aware of this fact, which is why the majority go through great lengths to ensure that all of their games are mobile compatible as well. They know that if they do not take mobile gamers into account then they are going to run the risk of losing a lot of potential custom.

The great thing about mobile gaming is that it allows you to gamble wherever you like, so long as you have access to the Internet. For example, if you are waiting for an appointment you can pass the time away by playing some 3-card poker. Hopefully, you win though as we would not want you going into your appointment with a grumpy face on. Furthermore, there are plenty of mobile-only bonuses available out there, so be sure to keep an eye out for those if you are a mobile gambler.

Do You Need to Download an App?

You do not need to download an app as playing 3 card poker for real on a mobile casino site is perfectly fine, and you will have a very pleasant experience. However, if the casino that you have an account with does have an app available, then we really do recommend that you download it as apps are generally a lot faster than mobile sites. To add to this, they also use up a lot less mobile data than mobile sites do.

3 Card Poker Strategy in a Nutshell

So, you are now nearing the end of our 3 card poker review and we are hopeful that it has improved your knowledge about playing three card poker online. We have provided you with everything that you need to know about this game and are certain that what you will learn will help you have a fantastic 3 card poker gambling experience. Which is one of our main aims at the end of the day?

When it comes to choosing an online casino where you can play three card poker, you will not be disappointed if you select any of the ones from our Top Ten list. These USA Online Casinos have all made it on to this list by merit and merit alone. When it comes to features such as the bonuses and promotions, the variety of games on offer, the safety and security levels, the variety of banking options that are available, and the customer support on offer, they are all, it is fair to say, at the top of their game.

Note: Did you know that three card poker is actually a Stud Poker Game Variant? Fun little fact from Casinorama

3 Card poker FAQ's ❓

Below we have provided you with 7 common questions that are regularly asked about this game.

♠ What Are the Rules for Three Card Poker?

3 Card Poker Strategy Chart

The rules for 3 card poker are extremely simple. Each player is given three cards and then the dealer is also given three cards. Once every player has decided whether they are going to fold or hold, their hand is compared to the dealer's. If the player has a better hand, then they win.

♠ Are 3 Card Poker Odds Better?

When compared to the likes of traditional poker, 3 card poker has better odds simply due to the fact that you only have three cards to complete a hand. For instance, in traditional poker to get a straight flush you need 5 cards of the same suit in a sequence. However, when playing 3 card poker, you need just 3 cards.

♠ What is a Flush in 3 Card Poker?

A Flush in 3 card poker is when you get three cards of the same suit that are not in a sequence. For instance, a four, Ace and 9 of hearts is a Flush.

♠ What Are the Odds of Getting a Straight Flush in 3 Card Poker?

When you are playing this game, the chances of getting a Straight Flush stand at 0.20%. In other words, you need a bit of luck to get such a hand.

♠ What is the Best Strategy for 3 Card Poker?

The best strategy for this game is to practice and play for free before you start to risk any of your own money. This allows you to familiarize yourself with the game and if you make a rookie mistake it will not cost you.

♠ Can I Play 3 Card Poker on Mobile?

If you are the type of player that loves to gamble on your mobile device, then you will be happy to hear that you will be able to play 3 card poker on it, ensuring that you can play this game wherever you happen to be.

♠ Which is the Best Online Casino to Play 3 Card Poker?

This is a difficult question to answer because it is highly subjective. What is a great casino for one player might be a bad one for another. However, what we can say though is that you will be happy with any of the casinos that we have listed on this site.

Tom Lasten, Editor-in-Chief @ Casino Bonuses Index

So now you’re armed with knowledge about Three-Card Poker strategy, why not read another article from the list below to increase your chances of beating the dealer:

There are many casino poker variants to choose from, but unquestionably, three card poker is among the most fast-paced and thrilling. This essential guide takes you through everything you need to know; we breakdown the rules of 3 card poker and explain how to play the game. Plus, we cover all the side bets, bonuses, and payouts; and reveal the perfect three-card poker strategy.

How to play three card poker

The important elements of creating great casino poker games are to firstly make the rules easy to understand, and secondly, the payouts have to be appealing to players. Derek Webb, the game’s inventor, combines these factors to a tee. Learning the basics of how to play three card poker only takes a minute or two.

Of course, you want to refine your play with a proven strategy, but we’ll get to that part later. For now, let’s explain 3 card poker rules and guide you through the gameplay.

Three card poker rules

Once you know the rules, you’ll be well on your way to being able to play 3 card poker online. The game is played with a standard 52-card deck. Here’s a step-by-step guide to a single round.

• To begin a round, the player must place an ante bet.
• The dealer then deals three cards to the player, which are face-up, and three cards to himself, which are face down.
• Based on the three cards, the player can either fold the hand or continue by placing a play bet.
• If the player folds, he loses the original ante bet wager.
• If he continues, the cost of the play bet is equal to the ante bet.
• Assuming the player continues, the dealer turns over his three cards.
• The dealer’s hand needs to be at least Queen high to qualify.
• If the dealer’s hand doesn’t qualify, the player wins even money (1:1) on the ante bet, but the play bet is pushed (returned).
• When the dealer does qualify; the player’s hand is compared to the dealer’s hand. The winner is determined according to the order of 3 card poker hand ranks.
• If the player’s hand wins, he gets paid 1:1 on both the ante bet and the play bet.
• If the dealer’s hand wins, both bets are lost.
• It is possible for the hands to tie. In which case, the ante and play bets are pushed.
• Regardless of the outcome of the round, if the player holds a straight or higher, he wins an ante bonus (as described below).

Poker hand ranks

There’s a slight alteration in the poker hand ranks for this game (compared to most other forms of poker). The reason is that you are less likely to hit a straight draw than you are to get a flush draw. This is the ranking order, starting with the highest three card poker hand at the top:

• Straight flush: 3 cards of the same suit in consecutive order.
• Three of a kind: 3 cards of equal face value.
• Straight: 3 cards of mixed suits in consecutive order.
• Flush: 3 cards from the same suit but not in consecutive order.
• Pair: two cards of equal face value.
• High card: none of the above hands, means you only have a high card.

Three card poker odds and payouts

We described the standard 1:1 payouts in the 3 card poker rules outlined above, but those are just one part of this game. The excitement jumps up a few notches because three card poker also includes an ante bet bonus. The ante bet bonus is based purely on the player’s three cards. Therefore, you can win this bet but still lose the round.

Ante bet bonus payouts:

• Straight flush: 5 times the ante bet
• Three of a kind: 4 times the ante bet
• Straight: 1 times the ante bet

Pair Plus bet

Before the start of a hand, players can also make a Pair Plus side bet. Again, this wager is independent of the outcome of your game against the dealer. It’s based on the 3 cards you are dealt.

Pair Plus bet payouts:

• Straight flush: 40 to 1
• Three of a kind: 30 to 1
• Straight: 6 to 1
• Flush: 4 to 1
• A pair: 1 to 1

Six Card bonus

The six card bonus is another optional side bet, but not all three card poker games offer this wager. It uses the three player cards and the three dealer cards from which you must form a five-card hand that is on the pay table to win.

Pair Plus bet payouts:

• Royal flush: 1000 to 1
• Straight flush: 200 to 1
• Four of a kind: 50 to 1
• Full house: 25 to 1
• Flush: 15 to 1
• Straight: 10 to 1
• Three of a kind: 5 to 1

These poker hand rankings are more traditional with a royal flush being the best possible hand, and the flush payout is valued higher than the straight.

3 card poker strategy

We can categorize casino card games into two types. The first are games of chance, such as baccarat and Dragon Tiger. The others are decision-based games like blackjack, Caribbean Stud, and Casino Hold’em. Three card poker drops into the second type because the player makes a decision after seeing his cards on whether he wants to fold or continue by making the play bet.

All of these decision-based games have an optimal strategy. However, some of these involve studying playing charts, which dilutes the entertainment value of the game when you first start playing. The 3 card poker strategy doesn’t bother with such complexities. In fact, you only need to remember 3 cards.

The optimal three card poker strategy for the ante and play bet is QUEEN – SIX – FOUR

This means if your hand is equal to, or stronger than, Q-6-4, you should always raise and make the play bet. What you need to remember is to look at each card separately.

• Start with your highest card. If it’s lower than a Queen – you fold the hand.
• If the highest card is a King or Ace – you raise.
• If the highest card is a Queen, you must look at the second highest card. If lower than 6 – you fold the hand. But, if higher than 6 – you raise.
• If the second highest card is 6, you move onto the third card. Lower than 4 means you fold. 4 or higher, and you raise.

House edge

When choosing what casino games to play, you should always consider the house edge. This is essentially the advantage the casino has. The good news is the three card poker house edge is competitive, which is why this game has grown in popularity.

• The house edge for the ante and play bet combination is 2.01% when using the Q-6-4 strategy described above.
• For the Pair Plus bet, the house edge is 2.32% based on the pay table used in our example. This is reasonable value for a side bet.
• The same cannot be said for the Six Card Bonus bet. It has a house edge of 14.36% using the pay table shown. Therefore, even though the royal flush pays 1000 to 1, this side bet will cripple your bankroll over the long-term.

New players should note that the term ‘house edge’ is rarely used these days. Instead, the theoretical return to player (RTP) percentage is given. The RTP can be calculated by: 100% – house edge. Therefore, the RTP for the ante – play bet is 97.99%.

Tips for playing 3 card poker

Using our experience, and from talking with other three card poker players, we’ve composed a few easy-to-follow tips to help you get more from this game.

• Follow the Q-6-4 strategy. It can be tempting to play J-10-8 because the cards are all reasonably high, but this is not smart, and you will end up losing more than you win.
• Check the pay tables before you play. Several software developers have created their own variants, and there is also live 3 card poker. Just because the title of the game is the same, it doesn’t mean the pay tables are. This has an impact on the RTP, and you want to play where you get the best value.
• Avoid the Six Card Bonus wager. The RTP for this bet is 85.64%. That means on average (over the long-term) for every $100 wagered, you win $85.64.
• Manage your bankroll. You don’t want to play $20 ante bets, and $20 play bets if you only have $100 in your casino account. Look to divide your budget so you can get 50 to 100 hands out of what you have.
• Practice by playing free three card poker games. Most online casinos, after you have registered, will allow you to play in demo mode. This allows you to practice your playing and betting strategy. Please note, you won’t be able to play live 3 card poker games for free.

Live three card poker

The award-winning Evolution Gaming, in partnership with Scientific Gaming, has created a spectacular live dealer three card poker game. This brings you all the authentic gameplay that you get in a land-based casino, but from the comfort of your own home.

It should be noted that there is usually a trade-off playing live games. Most of the time, the RTP is lower due to the extra costs involved in operating these tables. For instance, we’ve read reports that the ante bonus on Evolution’s live variant pays 5 to 1, but you need a mini royal flush to claim it.

This title also has the two side bets we talked about above. However, the pay table for Pairs Plus is not identical. Playing live, there is a maximum payout of 100 to 1 for a mini royal. This may appear more rewarding, but the payout for a straight is less, so the house edge ends up being higher. With that said, playing three card poker live is a great experience, and we think it’s worth trying even though the RTP is not as high.

Where to play online three card poker

Three card poker may not have the iconic status of roulette or blackjack, but it’s catching up in the popularity stakes. Thanks to there being both virtual RNG and live games, you can now find this poker variant in hundreds of online casinos around the world, including:

• 888casino
• PlayOJO
• Mr Green
• Ignition

The decision where to play three card poker depends on what you want from the casino. Each operator has its strengths and weaknesses. Some offer larger bonuses, while others have faster payouts or better mobile apps. If you’re looking for your first casino, we recommend checking out our online casino reviews section for an honest point of view. In terms of bonuses specific for 3 card poker; the truth is that there aren’t many. You can use a casino’s welcome bonus to play, but the wagering requirements combined with game weighting limitations means you are unlikely to score a profit from these offers.

Three card poker – F.A.Q.

To summarize the main points of this article, we’ve included this general three card poker FAQ.

Is there any strategy to 3 card poker?

Yes, and it’s very straightforward. The strategy is Queen – Six – Four. If your hand value is lower than that, you fold. If equal or higher, you make the play bet.

What is the highest hand in 3 card poker?

The highest hand is Ace – King – Queen of the same suit. This is known as a mini royal. There are no trump suits in three card poker.

Do I play against other players?

No, three card poker is a player vs dealer game. If you play live, you can play alongside other players although each of you has to take on the dealer.

Can I play free 3 card poker?

3 Card Poker Strategy Guide

Yes, nearly all online casinos that offer an RNG version will allow you to play free 3 card poker in practice mode.